Rising prices and unemployment were heavy on the minds of voters Tuesday even as a glimmer of optimism peeked through, with 4 in 10 saying the nation’s economy is getting better.

There was wide agreement that the economy still has far to go — three-fourths of voters said it was poor or not so good, according to preliminary results of exit polls. Only a fourth thought they were better off financially than four years ago when President Barack Obama was elected.

The survey of voters as they left polling places showed 6 in 10 ranked the economy the top issue. The majority who don’t yet see economic improvement were roughly divided over whether things were getting even worse or just stuck in place.

Joseph Neat, a stay-at-home father in Hagerstown, Md., said he voted for Republican Mitt Romney because Obama has had enough time to deal with the economic troubles affecting families, especially gasoline prices that he called “insane.”

“We don’t have time for him to make changes. We need the changes now,” Neat said of Obama. “And four years is plenty of time.”

Voters pointed to years of high unemployment and rising prices as the biggest problem for people like them; those two worries far outstripped concerns about the housing market or taxes in the exit polls conducted for The Associated Press and television networks.

About half of voters say the previous president, George W. Bush, shoulders more of the blame for economic problems than Obama.

About 4 in 10 blamed Obama. They don’t include William Mullins of Lansing, Mich.

“Obama had a lot to deal with when he came to office,” Mullins said. “You can’t change everything overnight.”

Only a quarter of voters were feeling enthusiastic about Obama’s administration; almost as many said they’re angry about it.

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Disqus Comments

Granny

Breitbart is saying that we can bank on it that these numbers are wrong – and remember they are NOT VOTES!

Lol, CNN Exit Polling claims that 15% of Conservatives are voting for Obama! I’m sorry but that’s just funny as hell.

Exit polls leans left 3 points.

Oliver

This is the key phrase in this story:

“About half of voters say the previous president, George W. Bush, shoulders more of the blame for economic problems than Obama”

I understand why team R/R avoided any real mention of Bush and the Bush years, but they really needed to do a better job of showing how the Dems and even Obama himself were largely responsible for creating the housing bubble that led to the crash.

Campfollower

So incredibly biased, the AP. I wonder if they have special classes now for AP reporters on how to slant things left. As a journalism school grad who was taught to be objective, I simply could never work for the AP. I wouldn’t know how to do what they do.

Mcashc

I was in line for 30 minutes. Of the 50 or so people around me I would say less than 5 were Romney voters. And I know I am right. Makes me sick to my stomach. Ted Kennedy may you rot in hell.

Mcashc

Add to that LBJ. LBJ may you rot in hell.

Ghost

Exit Polls are as meaningful as:

1) a 1st Quarter NBA score
2) the visiting team scoring a run in the TOP of the 1st inning
3) an LA DA’s indictment of a ham sandwich (or mass murderer, your choice)
4) a wink from an Ice Princess
5) ANY promise from Zero

Honorable Mention:
the early returns in 1936 showing Alf Landon in the lead, “As Maine goes, so goes Vermont”

Paul in N. AL

Why post this? It serves no purpose especially by Drudge who is only interested in more webtraffic.

Mcashc

Ah, – Add to that the media. May you rot in hell. Actually the media is sole blame for all of our current problems. The communist media gave us this fraud child racist fool.

Mad Hatter

#2,

That is funny. CNN has turned into Comedy Central.

Please keep this in mind, the exit polls are not accurate, remember the Kerry exit polls? Democrats respond to exit polls, Republicans not so much.

Very high turnout in strong GOP towns of Pelham, Bedford, Merrimack,
Atkinson, well surpassing 08 numbers. Estimates for Bedford have
nearly 90% turning out, and it’s a 60/40 GOP Town.

Dems slightly behind or on par with 08 numbers. Concord
not turning out, reports of small or nonexistent lines.

Bedford – a top 5 GOP town that gave McCain 59% in 2008
-reporting 800+ voters per hour w/anticipated turnout of
near 90%]

much more at link..

==

Eddy

I’ve been voting for a good long time now and have never been approached by an exit pollster. Never even seen one. Makes me wonder where they take place – or maybe, I’m just too scary looking to approach……